


Bellyache

by glancenuggets



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Minor Character Death, Multi, also, and a hug too, and god knows goro needs a supportive parent, he’s only mentioned he doesn’t actually talk, i just really needed more content with personas acting as supportive parents, its just mentioned that goro has a crush on protag, its not really that significant, so uh, this takes place literally right after goro kills kobayakawa, very minor shuake mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-13
Updated: 2019-11-13
Packaged: 2021-01-30 02:18:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21420568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glancenuggets/pseuds/glancenuggets
Summary: Loki knows his trickster’s death is imminent. He can sense it. The longer he stays on this path, the closer it comes. But Loki needs to let his trickster make his own decisions. He cannot force him to abandon this path, but he can remind him that there is a way out.
Relationships: Akechi Goro & Loki, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 55
Collections: Quality Persona Fics





	Bellyache

**Author's Note:**

> hrgg I wrote this at like 12 am and it’s not beta’d so blease be patient with me
> 
> Oh also, here’s a list of songs I was listening to while I wrote this just in case you want some background music to read this to:
> 
> Bellyache - Billie Eilish  
Every Note - Mystery Skulls  
Candles and Clockwork - Tyler Dever  
Nobody - Mitski
> 
> Edit: This work was inspired by an ex-friend’s Loki headcanons  
I want to make that clear because removing any mention of that feels like I’m stealing their ideas, but I don’t want to mention their name because I don’t want anything I do to be associated with them anymore  
I honestly would orphan this fic if I wasn’t still proud of it, but whatever

Mementos.

The usual whispering wind blows softly throughout the tunnels. Goro stands there, alone, watching as Principal Kobayakawa’s shadow disintegrates into nothing. His stomach lurches, his face contorted into a look of disgust. Perhaps he’s sick(sick to his stomach? _Absolutely_). He turns to leave, and suddenly, there’s a voice speaking in the back of his mind. It’s his, but not really.

“My trickster, may I have a word?” Goro nods, pulling off his mask. Blue flames materialize into Loki’s sharp, angular form. He takes a moment to put his sword down and sits cross legged on the floor. He pats his knee, “Come, my child.” Wordlessly, Goro makes his way over to Loki. He sits in Loki’s lap, and Loki cradles him gently. Goro leans into Loki’s touch, finding great comfort in behind held.

“Are you alright, trickster?” Loki seems worried. He’s been worried a lot lately.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Goro answers. He is avoiding the question.

“You seem quite tired. Make sure you do not overwork yourself. I do not wish to see you suffer.”

“I know.” A pause. Goro lets out a long sigh, trying to formulate what to say next. “You’re right though. I’ve been feeling exhausted lately,” The truth. It seems like Loki is the only person(?) Goro seldom lies to. It’s not really worth it to lie when you’re talking to your own shadow.

Loki does not respond. There is a reason he wanted to speak with Goro. Loki takes a moment to collect his thoughts.

Goro manifested a new persona recently. His name is Robin Hood. Like Loki, he only wants what’s best for Goro. However, he can be a bit... pushy at times. Robin has been trying to convince Goro to trust the Phantom Thieves, to ask for help, to follow his heart, to spill everything to a certain black-haired barista. 

Loki dislikes this. He would be lying if he said he disliked Robin, and he’d be lying if he said he disliked the idea of asking the Thieves for help. In actuality, he’s been worried about Goro for a very long time. The path Loki’s trickster is on is a path he chose himself, and Loki is grateful that Goro made his own decision, he really is. But...

...Loki knows what’s coming. He can sense that his trickster’s death is imminent. He knows Robin Hood can sense it too, but... it feels... wrong, how Robin is going about this. He’s trying to persuade Goro to make a certain choice, and of course Loki knows that Robin is just worried, but it’s almost like he’s not giving Goro a chance to make his own choice. Loki wants his trickster to make a decision on his own, without being influenced by anyone else. And maybe, deep down, he really does want Goro to trust the Phantom Thieves and finally confess everything(_everything_, everything) to that barista boy he has a crush on, but Loki would rather disappear than force his trickster’s hand.

So, he chooses his words carefully. “Robin is right, you know that, do you not?”

“What are you talking about?” Goro knows exactly what he’s talking about.

“Asking for help is an option, my child,” Loki speaks gently, because he knows how Goro is about relying on others.

The trickster sighs. He is too tired to argue. “I thought you were opposed to trusting them?”

“Of course not, dear trickster. I just... do not like that Robin Hood is being so... aggressive about it. He needs to let you decide what to do,” Goro does not reply. He thinks. “...You are already considering it, are you not?”

“Perhaps,” The trickster has been tired for a very long time. “Who knows? Maybe they really are naive enough to help their enemy?” A lie. Goro, Loki, Robin, all three of them know that the Phantom Thieves are not their true enemy. The next decision Goro makes will decide whether they are allies, or a stepping stone to victory. “What do _you_ want me to do?”

A pause, “Whatever course of action you believe is best,”

Goro lets out a light chuckle, “Of course. You always want what’s best for me,” Silence follows. Goro closes his eyes, a fond smile on his face, and melts into the familiar comfort of Loki’s embrace. Loki gently combs his claws through his trickster’s hair.

“You are tired, my child,” His voice is soft and gentle. “You have been for a long time,” This is true. Goro says nothing. He has not fallen asleep, not yet. “There is still a way out, dear child. You do not have to use it, that is your choice. I do not want you to do anything you do not feel comfortable doing,” Loki gestures to a black puddle behind them, and Goro’s stomach flips. Goro pretends to not be bothered by this. It is quiet for a while after that. Loki continues to caress Goro’s hair, his trickster fully relaxed in his embrace, until...

...Finally, a sound. “Thank you, Loki... for letting me make my own decision,” Goro’s voice is quiet and appreciative.

“Of course, my trickster. You are very welcome,” Goro slowly untangles himself from Loki’s embrace and gets back on his feet. Loki stands and picks his sword up off of the ground. Goro looks at him, and he looks back. A mutual nod, and Loki is recalled back into the mask. Goro Akechi leaves Mementos, ready to make a choice.

**Author's Note:**

> The ending is kinda ambiguous,,, I know  
It’s up to you whether or not he decided to trust the thieves :p  
In my eyes, this is an au where he came clean before Okumura’s palace  
But if you want to interpret this as taking place during the canon storyline be my guest


End file.
